Leveling the playing field for young women, disabled

The United States recently marked the 40th anniversary of Title IX, which mandated gender equity in sports and influenced an international movement.

Wayne Witkowski

The United States recently marked the 40th anniversary of Title IX, which mandated gender equity in sports and influenced an international movement.

And for the 27th year, colleges across the country, including East Stroudsburg University, will participate in a National Girls and Women in Sports Day event Saturday, Feb. 9. The activities take place in Koehler Fieldhouse, followed by and in conjunction with the ESU women's basketball game against Kutztown at 1 p.m.

Sign-up begins at 8:30 a.m. and the clinic concludes at 10:45 a.m. The event, for girls ages 7-12 and in grades 2-7, involves instruction in a number of developmental sports mini-clinics with ESU's coaches and student-athletes.

It's a free event, which includes admission to the women's basketball game at 1 p.m. All participants should wear appropriate athletic wear and tennis shoes and bring a bottle of water. Associate Athletic Director Carey Snyder is overseeing the event.

Registration is limited to the first 150 girls who have submitted a completed registration form and waiver of liability form. Both forms can be found at the links above, or can be picked up in the ESU Athletic Office in Koehler Fieldhouse by calling 570-422-3642. The forms should be returned by Feb. 7 to the ESU Athletic Office in Koehler Fieldhouse or mailed to Snyder at ESU, 200 Prospect St., East Stroudsburg, PA 18301.

If you are a young female athlete or a parent of one, this could be a meaningful experience. Many girls have missed the opportunity to compete in sports while others may have hit the age for participation until now. This is a great introduction and learning experience to see if they actually might enjoy giving it a try under expert instruction.

And in another interesting news development, the U.S. Education Department is telling schools they must include students with disabilities in sports programs or provide equal alternative options. The directive, reminiscent of the Title IX expansion of athletic opportunities for women, could bring sweeping changes to school budgets and locker rooms for years to come, The Associated Press reports.

Schools would be required to make "reasonable modifications" for students with disabilities or create parallel athletic programs that have comparable standing as mainstream programs. Many have done that already. Some have not.

"Sports can provide invaluable lessons in discipline, selflessness, passion and courage, and this guidance will help schools ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to benefit from the life lessons they can learn on the playing field or on the court," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement announcing the new guidance.

In other news, the Middle Smithfield Economic Development Committee is going to publicly invite East Stroudsburg Area School District board members to a meeting Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at the township building to discuss the commercial business tax abatement proposal. This would help develop a better tax base to help hold the line and maybe even lower school taxes in the district. ...

Lehman Township Supervisor Paul Menditto will announce Monday he plans to run for magisterial district judge in May 21 primary elections. More next week. ...

Since the June opening, 528 people have put in 4,956 personnel training hours at the $11 million Pike County Training Center in Blooming Grove, facility Director George Beodecker told Pike commissioners in a report. Training on live fire props will be offered in the fall.